MOSAIC OF THOUGHT: A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY ON THE INDIVIDUAL INDUCTION EXPERIENCES OF BLACK WOMEN EDUCATORS IN CONNECTICUT URBAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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Authors
Lawrence, LèTanya T.E.
Issue Date
2021-12-15
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Black woman educator , Teacher induction , Impostor phenomenon , Critical race theory , Black feminist theory
Alternative Title
Abstract
Where are all the Black women educators (BWEs) in Connecticut? Connecticut grapples with the problem of recruiting a workforce that is as racially and culturally as diverse as the student population Connecticut schools serve; this notable gap of student-to-teacher demographics influences the achievement of all students (Booker, 2018; Gais et al., 2019; Henry, 2018). The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the individual induction experiences of BWEs in Connecticut urban public schools. The central phenomenon of the study was the school district practices that have influenced teacher retention among BWEs. Prior to this study, there was an absence of literature that explored the induction experiences of K–12 BWEs in Connecticut. This study sought an opportunity to add to the body of research using the lens of critical race theory (CRT), Black feminist theory (BFT), and the impostor phenomenon (IP) as racialized educational contexts are directly impacted by the prevalence of educators of color. Essentially, this study was necessary to conduct to address the critical need to build school environments that are able to meet the expanding culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse needs of students locally in Connecticut as well as internationally. The findings of this study have advanced the knowledge and body of literature of CRT, IP, and BFT as this research supports social justice reform in K–12 settings. The research questions explored in this study were: How do BWEs describe their teacher induction process in Connecticut? How do BWEs describe their teacher identities? And how, if at all, do BWEs describe the presence of the impostor phenomenon in their teacher induction process? After informed consent was received, BWEs in the study completed an electronic demographic questionnaire, an electronic Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale Survey (CIPS) (Clance & Imes, 1978) and participated in a one-on-one, semi-structured interview with the researcher. One finding is that Five of six BWEs in this study indicated their identities were both invisible and hyper visible within the work environment. As a result, BWEs benefit from culture-specific mentoring; school leaders need to intentionally make space for culture-specific educator mentoring partnerships within their induction programs. One significant finding is that diamonds are born under extreme pressure. Five of the six BWEs in this study described being inadequately supported by their supervisors and peers. Despite the unique challenges BWEs in this sample have endured that have triggered their career movement, BWEs continue to persist past adversity and remain the field.
Description
Citation
L. Lawrence, "Mosaic of Thought: a Qualitative Case Study on the Individual Induction Experiences of Black Women Educators in Connecticut Urban Public Schools", Ph.D. dissertation, School of Education, Univ. of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT, 2021.